


Negotiations

by bunnysworld



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Kid Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-18
Updated: 2016-04-18
Packaged: 2018-06-03 02:04:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6592267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnysworld/pseuds/bunnysworld
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin doesn’t like that his friends can’t play with him</p>
            </blockquote>





	Negotiations

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry, once again not beta'd

Merlin looked to one corner of the room where Arthur sat on a small chair, staring at the wall. He knew Arthur was angry that Miss Smith had given him a time-out for fighting with Gwaine, who was in the other corner on a similar chair, glaring at the wall as well. He didn’t even know what they were fighting over but it had gotten loud and there was hair-pulling and kicking. 

He snuck over to where Arthur sat and handed him a building block. “Here,” he whispered. Arthur needed to know he was not alone. 

Checking where Miss Smith was and finding her busy with Morgana, Arthur’s stupid big sister, Merlin took one of the toy cars and casually strolled over to where Gwaine was tilting on his chair. “There you go.”

“Merlin!”

Turning around, giving her his best innocent look – the one that melted steel, as mam always said – Merlin pretended not to know what this was about. 

“Arthur and Gwaine are in time-out. You know you can’t talk to them or play with them. They need a moment to unwind and calm down.”

Merlin liked Miss Smith. She had nice dark skin, big brown eyes and funny curls that bopped when she moved her head quickly. “But I want to play with them.”

Miss Smith sat down next to him. “Come here, Merlin.”

Obediently he sat with her. 

“I know they are your friends, but you also saw them fighting, right?”

Merlin nodded. 

“And what is it that we don’t like here?”

“Hair-pulling and kicking?” Merlin offered helpfully.

Miss Smith smiled at him. “Exactly. You’ve seen them do it, didn’t you?”

“Yes.” Merlin admitted. 

“That is why they need a little time-out. They can think about what they did and stop being angry, that might take a little time.”

Merlin plucked at the hem of his faded jeans and then looked up at the kindergarten teacher. “How long?”

“Ten minutes.”

Pursing his lips, thinking really hard, Merlin then said. “Three?” Three minutes were awfully long, that seemed to be enough.

“Seven.” Miss Smith tried to bite back a smile.

“Five?” Merlin squeezed one eye shut and looked up at her with tilted head.

Chuckling, Miss Smith looked at the big clock on the wall, noticing that the ten minutes were almost up anyway. “Alright, then.” She scrambled up and went over to first release Gwaine from his chair and then Arthur. 

A while later, they were running through the garden of the premises, squealing happily as they chased each other, their fight and the time-outs forgotten.


End file.
